<p>Recently, there has been an unprecedented number of mass layoffs across the world, including in big tech companies like Twitter and Meta which also announced that they fired thousands of people in the past few weeks. This has affected many, including Indians who form a large chunk of the workforce in the US’ Silicon Valley.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Amid what many are referring to as the ‘layoff season’, Harsh Jain, co-founder of Dream Sports took to Twitter and offered Indian employees fired by the major tech firms to join his company especially those with Visa issues.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/meta-boss-mark-zuckerberg-says-mass-lay-offs-to-begin-from-wednesday-morning-532418">Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg says mass layoffs to begin from Wednesday morning</a></strong></p>

<p>“With all the 2022 Tech layoffs (52,000+!) in the US, please spread the word to remind Indians to come back home (specially those with visa issues) to help Indian Tech realise our hyper-growth potential in the next decade!” Jain wrote in a tweet.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">With all the 2022 Tech layoffs (52,000+!) in the US, please spread the word to remind Indians to come back home (specially those with visa issues) to help Indian Tech realise our hyper-growth potential in the next decade! 🇮🇳 🇮🇳 🇮🇳 (1/3)</p>
— Harsh Jain (@harshjain85) <a href="https://twitter.com/harshjain85/status/1589609986677964800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>He added, that his company is “profitable” and financially stable in a subsequent statement and said, “#shamelessplug if you or someone you know fits the above, feel free to reach out to us on indiareturns@dreamsports.group. We @DreamSportsHQ are a profitable, $8 Billion Co with 150 Million+ users and 10 kickass portfolio companies”.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO WATCH:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-business-news-twitter-takes-u-turn-post-massive-layoffs-asks-fired-employees-to-come-back-531766">WION Business News | Twitter takes U-Turn post massive layoffs, asks fired employees to come back</a></strong></p>

<p>Furthermore, in another tweet also briefly spoke about the ten portfolio companies under Dream11, “who are constantly looking for great talent, specially with leadership experience in Design, Product &amp; Tech!”.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dream11-awarded-title-sponsorship-for-ipl-2020-with-a-bid-of-inr-222-crore-confirms-brijesh-patel-321448">Dream11 awarded title sponsorship for IPL 2020 with a bid of INR 222 crore, confirms Brijesh Patel</a></strong><br />
<br />
Since it was first posted on November 7, the Twitter thread has garnered over 650 likes and over 70 retweets. Dream11 is an Indian fantasy sports platform that allows users to create fantasy teams in several sports including, cricket, football, hockey, rugby, and so on. In 2019, it was the first of its kind in the country which went on to become a unicorn.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


Recently, there has been an unprecedented number of mass layoffs across the world, including in big tech companies like Twitter and Meta which also announced that they fired thousands of people in the past few weeks.

Recently, there has been an unprecedented number of mass layoffs across the world, including in big tech companies like Twitter and Meta which also announced that they fired thousands of people in the past few weeks. This has affected many, including Indians who form a large chunk of the workforce in the US’ Silicon Valley. Amid what many are referring to as the ‘layoff season’, Harsh Jain, co-founder of Dream Sports took to Twitter and offered Indian employees fired by the major tech firms to join his company especially those with Visa issues. ALSO READ: Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg says mass layoffs to begin from Wednesday morning “With all the 2022 Tech layoffs (52,000+!) in the US, please spread the word to remind Indians to come back home (specially those with visa issues) to help Indian Tech realise our hyper-growth potential in the next decade!” Jain wrote in a tweet. With all the 2022 Tech layoffs (52,000+!) in the US, please spread the word to remind Indians to come back home (specially those with visa issues) to help Indian Tech realise our hyper-growth potential in the next decade! 🇮🇳 🇮🇳 🇮🇳 (1/3) — Harsh Jain (@harshjain85) November 7, 2022 × He added, that his company is “profitable” and financially stable in a subsequent statement and said, “#shamelessplug if you or someone you know fits the above, feel free to reach out to us on indiareturns@dreamsports.group. We @DreamSportsHQ are a profitable, $8 Billion Co with 150 Million+ users and 10 kickass portfolio companies”. ALSO WATCH: WION Business News | Twitter takes U-Turn post massive layoffs, asks fired employees to come back Furthermore, in another tweet also briefly spoke about the ten portfolio companies under Dream11, “who are constantly looking for great talent, specially with leadership experience in Design, Product & Tech!”. ALSO READ: Dream11 awarded title sponsorship for IPL 2020 with a bid of INR 222 crore, confirms Brijesh Patel Since it was first posted on November 7, the Twitter thread has garnered over 650 likes and over 70 retweets. Dream11 is an Indian fantasy sports platform that allows users to create fantasy teams in several sports including, cricket, football, hockey, rugby, and so on. In 2019, it was the first of its kind in the country which went on to become a unicorn. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Fantasy platform Dream11 co-founder offers jobs to people fired from Twitter, Meta and others

<p>As fake and fraudulent accounts increased, Twitter paused its recent $8 verification or blue tick subscription programme.</p>

<p>Before, only verified accounts of public figures including politicians, actors and famous journalists only had the coveted blue tick mark.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A source told Reuters that the service of blue tick verification has been halted.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tumblr-trolls-twitter-by-offering-double-checkmarks-533164"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Tumblr trolls Twitter by offering two checkmarks for the price of one, for just one-time payment</strong></a></p>

<p>Earlier this week, Twitter introduced its membership option that can be available to anyone willing to pay in order to increase the revenue of the microblogging site as the new owner Elon Musk battles to hold back advertisers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Concerns for hate and fake news have been increasing on the platform. Recently, a fake account tweeted that insulin would be free, and the pharma company Eli Lilly &amp; Co apologised amid political outrage and inquiries into the high cost of the drug. Another such instance was when a verified user with the same profile image as the company's official account was spreading a lot of false tweets about Tesla.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-his-takeover-musk-warns-of-twitter-bankruptcy-as-more-officials-resign-533082"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;FTC watching Twitter with 'deep concern' as Musk warns bankruptcy fears 'are very real'</strong></a></p>

<p>Addressing this, Musk stated that accounts that employ impersonation on Twitter without explicitly designating it as "parody" accounts will be immediately and permanently removed. Several accounts have been suspended including those of BP and Nintendo.</p>

<p>Sources told Reuters that the new owner on Thursday warned the employees that if it didn't increase subscription revenue to balance the declining advertising revenues, the company will not be able to survive the coming fiscal year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ever since the world's richest man Elon Musk took over Twitter, a lot of businesses including General Motors and United Airlines have halted their advertising.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


As fake and fraudulent accounts increased, Twitter paused its recent $8 verification or blue tick subscription programme. Before, only verified accounts of public figures including politicians, actors and famous journalists only had the coveted blue tick mark.

As fake and fraudulent accounts increased, Twitter paused its recent $8 verification or blue tick subscription programme. Before, only verified accounts of public figures including politicians, actors and famous journalists only had the coveted blue tick mark. A source told Reuters that the service of blue tick verification has been halted. Also read | Tumblr trolls Twitter by offering two checkmarks for the price of one, for just one-time payment Earlier this week, Twitter introduced its membership option that can be available to anyone willing to pay in order to increase the revenue of the microblogging site as the new owner Elon Musk battles to hold back advertisers. Concerns for hate and fake news have been increasing on the platform. Recently, a fake account tweeted that insulin would be free, and the pharma company Eli Lilly & Co apologised amid political outrage and inquiries into the high cost of the drug. Another such instance was when a verified user with the same profile image as the company's official account was spreading a lot of false tweets about Tesla. Also read | FTC watching Twitter with 'deep concern' as Musk warns bankruptcy fears 'are very real' Addressing this, Musk stated that accounts that employ impersonation on Twitter without explicitly designating it as "parody" accounts will be immediately and permanently removed. Several accounts have been suspended including those of BP and Nintendo. Sources told Reuters that the new owner on Thursday warned the employees that if it didn't increase subscription revenue to balance the declining advertising revenues, the company will not be able to survive the coming fiscal year. Ever since the world's richest man Elon Musk took over Twitter, a lot of businesses including General Motors and United Airlines have halted their advertising. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Twitter halts its $8 verification subscription amid rise in fake accounts and news, says source 

Elon Musk has warned that Twitter could face bankruptcy. What are Twitter's financial troubles?

Gravitas: Can Musk's moves bankrupt Twitter?

<p>Tumblr trolls Twitter for its recent announcement of selling its blue check subscription to its users on an $8 per month basis. On Twitter originally, the blue checkmark was used to indicate a high-profile account from a celebrity, brand, or government official that proves its authenticity. But now Elon Musk is opening that access to all users, as long as they pay up through the newly rebuild Twitter Blue subscription.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Tumblr has been enjoying a revival, all thanks to some recent policy changes after Elon Musk took the charge of Twitter. It&nbsp;has drawn a few celebrities like Ryan Reynolds and Lynda Carter to the platform. Unlike most big social networks, Tumblr does not verify high-profile accounts’ authenticity. There was no blue checkmark or tickmark system like that of Twitter, which has caused a little confusion about the celebrity's authenticity on the platform, making it impossible to tell whether the account was real or not. Though Tumblr has made no changes to that, and, is rolling out a plan to give not only one but two checkmarks to anyone who can buy the subscription.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/twitter-blue-paywall-advertisers-how-musk-plans-to-bring-in-more-money-532894">Twitter Blue, paywall, advertisers: How Musk plans to bring in more money</a></p>

<p>Tumblr's plan to roll out two check marks is a way of trolling Twitter by pointing out the superficial nature of the blue checkmark when anyone can buy them. Tumblr joked about the blue checkmarks saying, “Coveted status symbol, and now you can have one too—without having to be verified by Tumblr staff.”</p>

<div class="tumblr-post" data-did="977c9ce7fdabc43dd54147c23db90a3bbfcafb38" data-href="https://embed.tumblr.com/embed/post/r_BTLFg8QzTPUMVSbe3vbg/700577429121548289">
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<div class="tumblr-post" data-did="977c9ce7fdabc43dd54147c23db90a3bbfcafb38" data-href="https://embed.tumblr.com/embed/post/r_BTLFg8QzTPUMVSbe3vbg/700577429121548289"><a href="https://staff.tumblr.com/post/700577429121548289/okay-your-blog-looks-great-but-whats-the-point">https://staff.tumblr.com/post/700577429121548289/okay-your-blog-looks-great-but-whats-the-point</a></div>
<script async src="https://assets.tumblr.com/post.js"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Tumblr also released "Important Blue Internet Checkmark Stickers" for $3 and "Important Blue Internet Checkmark Enamel Pins" for $6, both of which cost less than Twitter's blue subscription. Tumblr further jokes&nbsp;about the checkmarks on its blog saying,&nbsp;"Investing in this is investing in your future. It’s the most financially sound investment you can make this fiscal quarter. Also, as a reminder: Nothing matters! "</p>
</div>
<script async src="https://assets.tumblr.com/post.js"></script>

<p>Though, the offering from Tumblr is not entirely a joke. Users can actually pay the one-time $7.99 fee and can instantly receive two blue checkmarks, which will pop up over posts. Furthermore, Tumblr has also begun placing its own blue checkmark next to the search bar over the site, as of now, the blue checkmark is only available to Tumblr users on the web version.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Twitter is still planning on rolling out its pay-for-verification subscription system. Musk initially decided to charge $20 per month for the service, which was then brought down to $8 per month.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1  width=&quot;100%&quot;"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Tumblr trolls Twitter for its recent announcement of selling its blue check subscription to its users on an $8 per month basis. On Twitter originally, the blue checkmark was used to indicate a high-profile account from a celebrity, brand, or government official that proves its authenticity.

Tumblr trolls Twitter for its recent announcement of selling its blue check subscription to its users on an $8 per month basis. On Twitter originally, the blue checkmark was used to indicate a high-profile account from a celebrity, brand, or government official that proves its authenticity. But now Elon Musk is opening that access to all users, as long as they pay up through the newly rebuild Twitter Blue subscription. Tumblr has been enjoying a revival, all thanks to some recent policy changes after Elon Musk took the charge of Twitter. It has drawn a few celebrities like Ryan Reynolds and Lynda Carter to the platform. Unlike most big social networks, Tumblr does not verify high-profile accounts’ authenticity. There was no blue checkmark or tickmark system like that of Twitter, which has caused a little confusion about the celebrity's authenticity on the platform, making it impossible to tell whether the account was real or not. Though Tumblr has made no changes to that, and, is rolling out a plan to give not only one but two checkmarks to anyone who can buy the subscription. Also Read | Twitter Blue, paywall, advertisers: How Musk plans to bring in more money Tumblr's plan to roll out two check marks is a way of trolling Twitter by pointing out the superficial nature of the blue checkmark when anyone can buy them. Tumblr joked about the blue checkmarks saying, “Coveted status symbol, and now you can have one too—without having to be verified by Tumblr staff.” https://staff.tumblr.com/post/700577429121548289/okay-your-blog-looks-great-but-whats-the-point × Tumblr also released "Important Blue Internet Checkmark Stickers" for $3 and "Important Blue Internet Checkmark Enamel Pins" for $6, both of which cost less than Twitter's blue subscription. Tumblr further jokes about the checkmarks on its blog saying, "Investing in this is investing in your future. It’s the most financially sound investment you can make this fiscal quarter. Also, as a reminder: Nothing matters! " Though, the offering from Tumblr is not entirely a joke. Users can actually pay the one-time $7.99 fee and can instantly receive two blue checkmarks, which will pop up over posts. Furthermore, Tumblr has also begun placing its own blue checkmark next to the search bar over the site, as of now, the blue checkmark is only available to Tumblr users on the web version. Meanwhile, Twitter is still planning on rolling out its pay-for-verification subscription system. Musk initially decided to charge $20 per month for the service, which was then brought down to $8 per month. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tumblr trolls twitter by offering double checkmarks to its users 12

<p>Tumblr trolls Twitter for its recent announcement of selling its blue check subscription to its users on an $8 per month basis. On Twitter originally, the blue checkmark was used to indicate a high-profile account from a celebrity, brand, or government official that proves its authenticity. But now Elon Musk is opening that access to all users, as long as they pay up through the newly rebuild Twitter Blue subscription.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Tumblr has been enjoying a revival, all thanks to some recent policy changes after Elon Musk took the charge of Twitter. It&nbsp;has drawn a few celebrities like Ryan Reynolds and Lynda Carter to the platform. Unlike most big social networks, Tumblr does not verify high-profile accounts’ authenticity. There was no blue checkmark or tickmark system like that of Twitter, which has caused a little confusion about the celebrity's authenticity on the platform, making it impossible to tell whether the account was real or not. Though Tumblr has made no changes to that, and, is rolling out a plan to give not only one but two checkmarks to anyone who can buy the subscription.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/twitter-blue-paywall-advertisers-how-musk-plans-to-bring-in-more-money-532894">Twitter Blue, paywall, advertisers: How Musk plans to bring in more money</a></p>

<p>Tumblr's plan to roll out two check marks is a way of trolling Twitter by pointing out the superficial nature of the blue checkmark when anyone can buy them. Tumblr joked about the blue checkmarks saying, “Coveted status symbol, and now you can have one too—without having to be verified by Tumblr staff.”</p>

<div class="tumblr-post" data-did="977c9ce7fdabc43dd54147c23db90a3bbfcafb38" data-href="https://embed.tumblr.com/embed/post/r_BTLFg8QzTPUMVSbe3vbg/700577429121548289">&nbsp;</div>
<script async src="https://assets.tumblr.com/post.js"></script>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="tumblr-post" data-did="977c9ce7fdabc43dd54147c23db90a3bbfcafb38" data-href="https://embed.tumblr.com/embed/post/r_BTLFg8QzTPUMVSbe3vbg/700577429121548289"><a href="https://staff.tumblr.com/post/700577429121548289/okay-your-blog-looks-great-but-whats-the-point">https://staff.tumblr.com/post/700577429121548289/okay-your-blog-looks-great-but-whats-the-point</a></div>
<script async src="https://assets.tumblr.com/post.js"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Tumblr also released "Important Blue Internet Checkmark Stickers" for $3 and "Important Blue Internet Checkmark Enamel Pins" for $6, both of which cost less than Twitter's blue subscription. Tumblr further jokes&nbsp;about the checkmarks on its blog saying,&nbsp;"Investing in this is investing in your future. It’s the most financially sound investment you can make this fiscal quarter. Also, as a reminder: Nothing matters! "</p>

<p>Though, the offering from Tumblr is not entirely a joke. Users can actually pay the one-time $7.99 fee and can instantly receive two blue checkmarks, which will pop up over posts. Furthermore, Tumblr has also begun placing its own blue checkmark next to the search bar over the site, as of now, the blue checkmark is only available to Tumblr users on the web version.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Twitter is still planning on rolling out its pay-for-verification subscription system. Musk initially decided to charge $20 per month for the service, which was then brought down to $8 per month.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1  width=&quot;100%&quot;"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Tumblr trolls twitter by offering double checkmarks to its users

Tumblr trolls twitter by offering two checkmarks to its users

Twitter has brought back the' official' account tag as the $8 blue-tick option disappears. Watch this report to know all the details.

Twitter brings back the' official' account tag as the $8 blue-tick option disappears

<p>Twitter's new owner, Elon Musk, said on Thursday (November 11) that it might go bankrupt even as a market regulator said it is watching developments at the microblogging company&nbsp;with concern. The&nbsp;platform's top privacy and compliance officers have also reportedly quit.</p>

<p>Two weeks after purchasing the company for $44 billion, the billionaire warned Twitter employees on a conference call that he could not rule out bankruptcy, Bloomberg news reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/musk-ends-remote-work-for-twitter-staff-in-his-first-email-to-employees-532928"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Twitter CEO Elon Musk ends remote work for staff in his first email to employees</strong></a></p>

<p>The company can lose billions of dollars in the upcoming fiscal year, he said. He had earlier claimed that the company is losing over four million dollars daily in part due to advertisers leaving after he took charge.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He also told employees to spend at least 40 hours per week in the office, saying remote work will no longer be permitted.</p>

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<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/elon-musk-warns-of-twitter-bankruptcy-exodus-of-top-twitter-executives-continues-533104/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><strong>Musk not above law, says FTC</strong><br />
&nbsp;</div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">Meanwhile, the regulator Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said it was watching developments in Twitter with&nbsp;"deep concern". The FTC said that Musk was "not above the law".</div>

<p>Earlier the company was accused by the FTC of using users' personal information to target advertisers. Later in May it agreed to pay $150 million.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Executive exodus continues</strong></p>

<p>The company saw a few other departures of senior executives. Departures began after Musk acquired the company and fired top three officials including the CEO, CFO and policy&nbsp;chief who are expected to receive a severance of $122 million.</p>

<p>In the latest departures, Yeol Roth and Robin Wheeler resigned from the company, a source close to the officials told Reuters. Security head of the company, Lea Kissner also resigned. Other exits include the chief privacy officer and chief complaint officer.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-biden-says-twitter-owner-musks-relationship-with-other-countries-worthy-of-being-looked-at-532742"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;US President Biden says Twitter owner Musk's relationship with other countries 'worthy of being looked at'</strong></a></p>

<p>To cope with costs, Musk last week announced to cut the company's workforce by 50 per cent and even disclosed $8 for verification and blue tick charge policy.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


Twitter's new owner, Elon Musk, said on Thursday (November 11) that it might go bankrupt even as a market regulator said it is watching developments at the microblogging company with concern.

Twitter's new owner, Elon Musk, said on Thursday (November 11) that it might go bankrupt even as a market regulator said it is watching developments at the microblogging company with concern. The platform's top privacy and compliance officers have also reportedly quit. Two weeks after purchasing the company for $44 billion, the billionaire warned Twitter employees on a conference call that he could not rule out bankruptcy, Bloomberg news reported. Also read | Twitter CEO Elon Musk ends remote work for staff in his first email to employees The company can lose billions of dollars in the upcoming fiscal year, he said. He had earlier claimed that the company is losing over four million dollars daily in part due to advertisers leaving after he took charge. He also told employees to spend at least 40 hours per week in the office, saying remote work will no longer be permitted. × Musk not above law, says FTC Meanwhile, the regulator Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said it was watching developments in Twitter with "deep concern". The FTC said that Musk was "not above the law". Earlier the company was accused by the FTC of using users' personal information to target advertisers. Later in May it agreed to pay $150 million. Executive exodus continues The company saw a few other departures of senior executives. Departures began after Musk acquired the company and fired top three officials including the CEO, CFO and policy chief who are expected to receive a severance of $122 million. In the latest departures, Yeol Roth and Robin Wheeler resigned from the company, a source close to the officials told Reuters. Security head of the company, Lea Kissner also resigned. Other exits include the chief privacy officer and chief complaint officer. Also read | US President Biden says Twitter owner Musk's relationship with other countries 'worthy of being looked at' To cope with costs, Musk last week announced to cut the company's workforce by 50 per cent and even disclosed $8 for verification and blue tick charge policy. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

FTC watching Twitter with 'deep concern' as Musk warns bankruptcy fears 'are very real'

<p>Tumblr has trolled&nbsp;Twitter for its recent announcement of selling its blue check subscription to its users on an $8 per month basis. On Twitter originally, the blue checkmark was used to indicate a high-profile account from a celebrity, brand, or government official that proves its authenticity. But now Elon Musk is opening that access to all users, as long as they pay up through the newly rebuild Twitter Blue subscription.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Tumblr is enjoying a revival, all thanks to some recent policy changes after Elon Musk took charge of Twitter&nbsp;and has drawn few celebrities like Ryan Reynolds and Lynda Carter to the platform. Unlike most big social networks, Tumblr does not verify high-profile accounts’ authenticity. It did not have blue checkmark or tick mark system like that of Twitter, which caused a little confusion about the celebrity's authenticity, making it impossible to tell whether the account was real or not. Though Tumblr has made no changes to that, it is rolling out a plan to give not one but two checkmarks to anyone who buys the subscription.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/twitter-blue-paywall-advertisers-how-musk-plans-to-bring-in-more-money-532894">Twitter Blue, paywall, advertisers: How Musk plans to bring in more money</a></p>

<p>Tumblr's plan to roll out two check marks is a way of trolling Twitter by pointing out the superficial nature of the blue checkmark when anyone can buy them. Tumblr joked about the blue checkmarks saying, “Coveted status symbol, and now you can have one too—without having to be verified by Tumblr staff.”</p>

<div class="tumblr-post" data-did="977c9ce7fdabc43dd54147c23db90a3bbfcafb38" data-href="https://embed.tumblr.com/embed/post/r_BTLFg8QzTPUMVSbe3vbg/700577429121548289">
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<p>Tumblr also released "Important Blue Internet Checkmark Stickers" for $3 and "Important Blue Internet Checkmark Enamel Pins" for $6, both of which cost less than Twitter's blue subscription. Tumblr further jokes&nbsp;about the checkmarks on its blog saying,&nbsp;"Investing in this is investing in your future. It’s the most financially sound investment you can make this fiscal quarter. Also, as a reminder: Nothing matters!"</p>
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<p>Though, the offering from Tumblr is not entirely a joke. Users can actually pay the one-time $7.99 fee and can instantly receive two blue checkmarks, which will pop up over posts. Furthermore, Tumblr has also begun placing its own blue checkmark next to the search bar over the site, as of now, the blue checkmark is only available to Tumblr users on the web version.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Twitter is still planning on rolling out its pay-for-verification subscription system. Musk initially decided to charge $20 per month for the service, which was then brought down to $8 per month.&nbsp;</p>
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Tumblr has trolled Twitter for its recent announcement of selling its blue check subscription to its users on an $8 per month basis. On Twitter originally, the blue checkmark was used to indicate a high-profile account from a celebrity, brand, or government official that proves its authenticity.

Tumblr has trolled Twitter for its recent announcement of selling its blue check subscription to its users on an $8 per month basis. On Twitter originally, the blue checkmark was used to indicate a high-profile account from a celebrity, brand, or government official that proves its authenticity. But now Elon Musk is opening that access to all users, as long as they pay up through the newly rebuild Twitter Blue subscription. Tumblr is enjoying a revival, all thanks to some recent policy changes after Elon Musk took charge of Twitter and has drawn few celebrities like Ryan Reynolds and Lynda Carter to the platform. Unlike most big social networks, Tumblr does not verify high-profile accounts’ authenticity. It did not have blue checkmark or tick mark system like that of Twitter, which caused a little confusion about the celebrity's authenticity, making it impossible to tell whether the account was real or not. Though Tumblr has made no changes to that, it is rolling out a plan to give not one but two checkmarks to anyone who buys the subscription. Also Read | Twitter Blue, paywall, advertisers: How Musk plans to bring in more money Tumblr's plan to roll out two check marks is a way of trolling Twitter by pointing out the superficial nature of the blue checkmark when anyone can buy them. Tumblr joked about the blue checkmarks saying, “Coveted status symbol, and now you can have one too—without having to be verified by Tumblr staff.” https://staff.tumblr.com/post/700577429121548289/okay-your-blog-looks-great-but-whats-the-point × Tumblr also released "Important Blue Internet Checkmark Stickers" for $3 and "Important Blue Internet Checkmark Enamel Pins" for $6, both of which cost less than Twitter's blue subscription. Tumblr further jokes about the checkmarks on its blog saying, "Investing in this is investing in your future. It’s the most financially sound investment you can make this fiscal quarter. Also, as a reminder: Nothing matters!" Though, the offering from Tumblr is not entirely a joke. Users can actually pay the one-time $7.99 fee and can instantly receive two blue checkmarks, which will pop up over posts. Furthermore, Tumblr has also begun placing its own blue checkmark next to the search bar over the site, as of now, the blue checkmark is only available to Tumblr users on the web version. Meanwhile, Twitter is still planning on rolling out its pay-for-verification subscription system. Musk initially decided to charge $20 per month for the service, which was then brought down to $8 per month. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tumblr trolls Twitter by offering two checkmarks for the price of one, for just one-time payment

<p>Elon Musk, the new owner of Twitter Inc., was questioned by French President Emmanuel Macron as he encouraged nations and businesses to join the Children Online Protection Laboratory, a programme to protect children from dangerous internet content. In a series of tweets, Macron highlighted on&nbsp;the need to remove harmful online content more quickly in order to safeguard children.</p>

<p>Announcing the launch of the laboratory, Macron tweeted, “To protect our children on the Internet, we need to better verify user age, better detect and stop sexual predators, and better identify and address bullying. We need to be more efficient in taking down content,” Macron said.</p>

<p>“France, Estonia, New Zealand, Amazon, Dailymotion, Meta, Microsoft, Alphabet, Snap, TikTok and Qwant have signed up. All those who are willing should join us!” he added.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">👋 <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a>,<br />
Will the bird protect our children?</p>
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) <a href="https://twitter.com/EmmanuelMacron/status/1590799393958993920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>In a separate <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-his-takeover-musk-warns-of-twitter-bankruptcy-as-more-officials-resign-533082">tweet</a>,&nbsp;the French president waved at Elon Musk and asked, “Will the bird protect our children?”, in an apparent query about Twitter’s willingness to join the initiative.</p>

<p><strong>Chaos at Twitter: Employees brace for difficult times ahead</strong></p>

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<p>To this, Musk said, “Absolument”</p>

<p>The Children Online Protection Laboratory will explore, advocate for, create, and evaluate strategies targeted at enhancing children's safety in the digital world.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Elon Musk, the new owner of Twitter Inc., was questioned by French President Emmanuel Macron as he encouraged nations and businesses to join the Children Online Protection Laboratory, a programme to protect children from dangerous internet content.

Elon Musk, the new owner of Twitter Inc., was questioned by French President Emmanuel Macron as he encouraged nations and businesses to join the Children Online Protection Laboratory, a programme to protect children from dangerous internet content. In a series of tweets, Macron highlighted on the need to remove harmful online content more quickly in order to safeguard children. Announcing the launch of the laboratory, Macron tweeted, “To protect our children on the Internet, we need to better verify user age, better detect and stop sexual predators, and better identify and address bullying. We need to be more efficient in taking down content,” Macron said. “France, Estonia, New Zealand, Amazon, Dailymotion, Meta, Microsoft, Alphabet, Snap, TikTok and Qwant have signed up. All those who are willing should join us!” he added. 👋 @elonmusk, Will the bird protect our children? — Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) November 10, 2022 × In a separate tweet, the French president waved at Elon Musk and asked, “Will the bird protect our children?”, in an apparent query about Twitter’s willingness to join the initiative. Chaos at Twitter: Employees brace for difficult times ahead To this, Musk said, “Absolument” The Children Online Protection Laboratory will explore, advocate for, create, and evaluate strategies targeted at enhancing children's safety in the digital world. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

French president Macron asks ‘Will the bird protect our children?’; Twitter's new owner Musk replies

Chaos continues at Twitter as its new owner Elon Musk has raised the possibility of the social media platform going bankrupt. Voicing a grim outlook for Twitter's future, Musk has said that bankruptcy is not out of question of the company does not start generating more revenue.

Elon Musk warns of Twitter bankruptcy; exodus of top Twitter executives continues

2022 has been a rocky ride for working professionals, the once thriving Silicon Valley, seems to have hit a rough patch. Massive lay-off drives from tech giants like Twitter and now Meta have caught thousands of employees off-guard.

Twitter, Meta: Tech 'bloodbath' continues as tech giants on firing spree

Chaos at Twitter: Employees brace for difficult times ahead

<p>The 21st&nbsp;century, still young, is already in the grip of three superstates: the defence industry; energy cartels; and the infotech behemoths turbo-powered by the greatest technological advance in the history of science and ingenious invention. They are not unipolar. Their companies compete. But they protect spectacular gains and advance their global interests with an arsenal of shareholder finance, psychological intimidation, legal acumen, and the persistent promotion of their wares as the chief guardians or motivators of human welfare.</p>

<p>The defence industry is as old as the cudgel and will, in the company of the indefatigable cockroach, be the first to revive after the nuclear Armageddon, emerging from personalised bomb shelters with placards headlined&nbsp;<em>I Told You So!, Never Again! and Unused Nuclear Missiles at Heavy Discount!</em>&nbsp;Security has had a lock-hold on the human psyche ever since Cain, the rogue son of Adam, lured his naïve brother Abel into the fields, killed him, and then told God that he was not his brother’s keeper. Defence companies rushed to Abel’s heirs.</p>

<p>Insecurity began with creation. Oil is recent, and the net barely pubescent, but all three are dominant.</p>

<p>The dimensions of their power make old terminology seem inadequate. Terms such as “super” and “power” require a rethink, for their supreme power has been virtually unshackled from the constraints of responsibility. In the old hierarchy, governments sat at the top, with the ability to regulate industry and steer inventions towards the public’s convenience. Governments themselves were accountable, obviously so in a democracy; but even dictators could not fly too far from the compulsions of good governance. The Roman dictator-emperors summed it up in a cynical formula: bread and circuses. The emperor who forgot to provide bread for the citizens soon lost his head.</p>

<p>The private sector military-mineral-infotech industrial complex has positioned itself as indispensable. In a best-case scenario, it works in partnership with governments, minimising friction; but it sets the agenda, driven by the terms of global capitalisation and global markets. National space is of secondary importance.</p>

<p>Using the sanctuary of tax havens or exploiting tax loopholes when they can, the private companies are able to multiply their own profits even when advanced economies teeter on the edge of recession. Governments have been reduced to enablers, in a bid to share the rewards. Indeed, the international standing and economic health of a nation can depend on the capacity of its companies to supply guns, gas or gossip to the world. “Super” is too weak a word. Think hyper. Power is passé. Think control.</p>

<p>The defence industry makes very healthy money out of legitimate business; but its real wealth comes from purchases by ego-driven politicians and generals who justify bloated defence budgets by theories like “balance-of-power” and its multiple derivatives. The first influential theorist was Thucydides, the Greek historian of the Peloponnesian Wars. Over 25 centuries later, no one has improved upon the central justification of his argument: realism. His realism implied that the ability to fight a war was the only guarantee of peace, and if you thought that was a paradox you were sailing on a dreamboat towards the edge of a waterfall.</p>

<p>The most successful ploy in advertising is the conversion of part of the truth into the whole truth. Defence is a genuine necessity, and always has been. The art of profiteering lies in the manipulation of threat perception, in which the defence boys brandishing bespoke brochures have developed great expertise, while their agents divert ad-spend to the bribery budget.</p>

<p>The energy brainiacs have a better story to tell, for they have a better product to sell. Oil was a flicker in the wick lamp until it became the mainstay of a value-added industrial revolution and the fuel for new machines which altered the meaning of comfort and travel. This energy transformed lives dramatically. It also provided the death industry with a re-imagined range of armaments. It was the perfect double whammy.</p>

<p>Inevitably, Europe’s colonial powers seized desert nations to take control of oil wells when they were discovered in the sands of Iran and Arabia in the late 19th century. America had enough oil of its own but got into the game because it was so cost-friendly. This colonial inequity was effectively challenged only in the 1970s when producer-nations under the OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) umbrella finally ended price-fixing by the buyers, and then survived the bruising propaganda onslaught which followed. Half-a-century later, oil producers have become what they always wanted to be: partners, not stenographers taking dictation. This is the basis for the rediscovered self-confidence of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia. They also took the sensible decision to ensure that their governments held majority control of their natural resources companies.</p>

<p>Oil does not require much sales talk. We know the brand of our toothpaste, but who knows the name of the company that provides Norway’s oil or Qatar’s gas? Traditional firms like Burmah Shell and Esso advertised only when they went into direct retail.</p>

<p>One was intrigued therefore to find that the hitherto silent, discreet and successful Saudi giant Aramco had taken billboard space during the last Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament in India and sponsored the T20 cricket championship in Australia. Something different was happening. The wealthiest oil company in the world had clearly been nominated flag-bearer of radical change in what had become a closed kingdom. Aramco is leading the reinvention of Saudi Arabia as a land of sport leadership, futuristic urban spaces, and Halloween fun.</p>

<p>If Dubai can become a hub of cricket, why should Jeddah not host the Olympics? Ignore the weather. Jeddah could create an Iceland in a stadium if it wanted, and in winter this port city on the Red Sea can be salubrious in the mornings. It might need an early start for the marathon, though.</p>

<h2><b>The opium doctrine&nbsp;</b></h2>

<p>The vulnerable side of the behemoth triangle is the tech industry, which is ironic since it has contributed more to genuine radical growth than the other two sides combined. Within three decades, it has reached more homes across the globe than any other product in history. It will not be hobbled by such reach, and will continue to expand because of its miraculous utility, but it has already been wounded by a human flaw—the inability of owners to distinguish between profit and greed. Greed required distortion, which they could not resist. Lifted from college-dorm anonymity to multi-billionaire world fame within a decade, they became consumed by hubris. The masters of this social universe broke the first and last commandment of communication, credibility.</p>

<p>The computer revolution began at the apex of virtue, as a final-frontier answer to the continuous quest for greater knowledge. It changed more aspects of behaviour, conscious and unconscious, than any previous invention. But a branch of the net, following insatiable appetites, became the monster that now threatens the maker. Even in the grapevine of gossip, there is good and bad; most chatter is nourishing. The problem is that the bad overwhelms the good. A remarkable platform for personal communication became a stage for mass hysteria under the cover of free speech. It does not matter where the hysteria came from, left or right; the diatribe was protected by the tribe.</p>

<p>This was achieved through the connivance of the victim. The Opium Doctrine was in play, and like opium it was heady. In the middle of the 19th century, the absolute monarchs of the Qing-Manchu dynasty, in power from 1644, tried to stop the East India Company’s opium invasion of China by military force and law. Opium, with a little help from gunboat diplomacy, won. In the 1970s, the US launched a holy war against marijuana when Richard Nixon was in power. Marijuana, curated by mafia lords of Latin America, won. Once demonised as the drug that would destroy civilisation, it is now legal in half of America.</p>

<p>Like opium, Facebook or Twitter did not need to advertise to expand. Their model was the ultimate marketing fantasy. Every consumer became its advertiser. Word of mouth made a handful of tech companies into a Club of Diamonds, who then set the rules to serve their interests.</p>

<p>For Karl Marx, religion was the opium of the masses, and indeed the market-managers of traditional religions did make belligerent profits with their secret recipe for creation. The buccaneers of mass-tech, however, are more interested in their bank accounts than in any believer’s ledger log of sin and virtue. The Club of Diamonds, ever in search of escalating profits, turned part of the internet, once the potential church, mosque and temple of democratised knowledge, into the agora of sanctimonious slur. Their business had one great redeeming feature, though: humour. This, too, was a bestseller.</p>

<p>Having captured their millions of users, the Control Club raised their ambitions. They decided that they could also determine the fate of elections through suppression of information; that they could arbitrate on the meaning of right and wrong; that they could censor opinion by subterfuge. They turned globalisation into a quasi-religion, decrying nationalism as a heresy with the zeal of an inquisition. Some very good minds, and many prominent leaders, did not quite realise that they had been gulled into questioning the nation-state itself by a cartel’s business model.</p>

<h2><strong>A reaction was due. It may have begun.</strong></h2>

<p>Is Elon Musk a dynamite stick with a lit fuse? Musk is a contrarian and an egoist, and a disruptor, but less maverick than he purports to be. He understands business, or Tesla would have never been larger than a garage. He will not explode in isolation, if he does explode at all. If the Club of Diamonds decides to cut his hair, Samson Musk will bring the pillars of a larger structure down with him.</p>

<p>The only power to gain from Musk’s self-annihilation will be China, which has the Tesla car production facilities in its backyard and is ready to replace Twitter with TikTok after a tweak or two. TikTok is the sound of time. Twitter is a giggle. Time can wait.</p>

<p>The towering conceit of this century is that the blood and gore of imperialism is being whittled into a genteel new construct where knowledge and new mores are spreading light, harmony and reform. The first decade of the last 30 years was consumed by Afghanistan and Iraq; the second by Syria; the third is being chewed to bits by Ukraine. There is an obvious question. Is Ukraine the last war of the old era or the first one of the new age?</p>

<p>The causes, of course, lie in the past. President Putin may have seen the American sunset in Kabul and confused it with a Russian dawn. Perhaps he did not take into proper consideration the fact that America’s gut instincts are not aroused by revenge against zealot terrorists in strange robes but by a threat to its military and technological dominance. This means Russia and China. Moscow and Beijing cannot be locked away in Guantanamo. Ukraine is yet another splash of blood in the long war between Washington and Moscow. Russia may not be as strong as the Soviet Union, but it is still powerful enough to blow up the world.</p>

<h2><strong>Is China a bystander?</strong></h2>

<p>China takes pride in a lofty version of isolation. Its mandarins were unimpressed by thoughts of world conquest because in their view what the world had to offer was far inferior to what China already possessed. Their foreign policy was determined not by the rights of conquest but by the rights of superiority.</p>

<p>Foreigners were either supplicants or barbarians who had to kowtow. When barbarians, whether Mongol or Manchu, did breach the walls and seize Beijing, they were required to surrender to Chinese language and civilisation. The Chinese cannot easily forgive those foreigners who did not submit: the Europeans and the Japanese. The experience of European and Japanese invasion and conquest remains traumatic.</p>

<p>Mao Zedong was revered because he repositioned communism with Chinese characteristics, ignoring Lenin’s internationalism. Mao sent troops to Tibet to expand China’s suzerainty, and to North Korea to preserve a buffer zone against American aggression. Mao did not send troops to Vietnam. Mao’s successors have been cautious about getting involved in others’ wars. President Xi Jinping has struck a jarring note by upgrading his diplomats into wolf warriors, but he is most unlikely to throw caution aside. He will, in good Chinese fashion, wait, watch and pounce only when the opportunity becomes irresistible.</p>

<p>China’s strategy is to become the dominant power of the next world order, not of this one. It can wait for the present order to fall in disarray. The question then becomes different. Will Ukraine begin the swerve to a new order?</p>

<p>The Ukraine war will wind down. The price of sustaining it is too high on both sides. There will be a solution. People forget that a solution is liquid, not hard; from fluidity will emerge a compromise between the US and Russia which Kyiv will have to accept. In the middle of World War I, American President Woodrow Wilson proposed a peace without victory. There were no takers then, for Britain, France and Germany believed that total victory was possible. Ukraine is likely to end in a peace without categorical victory.</p>

<p>There will be fallout on all sides, as major nations take stock of what they have learnt from this war. The most important repercussion is one that has not been discussed.</p>

<h2><strong>Ukraine is a European crisis with Asian consequences.</strong></h2>

<p>Russia and China have reached out to each other. When they consider the future once the missiles stop, could they bring Iran into an informal alliance on the principle of an enemy’s enemy being a friend? That is what a wartime bloc is about in any case. After all, the confrontation with America and its allies will not cease. It will simply seek different arenas. It is likely China will assume leadership of the Beijing-Moscow-Tehran troika.</p>

<p>The three have acknowledged prowess in defence, energy, and technology. It is axiomatic that technology will be the heavy artillery of the next confrontation, with its wide range of insidious abilities to influence events and thinking. We cannot predict the specific geography of the next Ukraine.</p>

<p>What we can say with some certainty is that the next battle will first be fought in the mind.</p>

<p><strong><em>This article first appeared in Open Magazine.</em></strong></p>

<p><em><strong>(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)&nbsp;</strong></em></p>


The 21st century, still young, is already in the grip of three superstates: the defence industry; energy cartels; and the infotech behemoths turbo-powered by the greatest technological advance in the history of science and ingenious invention.

The 21st century, still young, is already in the grip of three superstates: the defence industry; energy cartels; and the infotech behemoths turbo-powered by the greatest technological advance in the history of science and ingenious invention. They are not unipolar. Their companies compete. But they protect spectacular gains and advance their global interests with an arsenal of shareholder finance, psychological intimidation, legal acumen, and the persistent promotion of their wares as the chief guardians or motivators of human welfare. The defence industry is as old as the cudgel and will, in the company of the indefatigable cockroach, be the first to revive after the nuclear Armageddon, emerging from personalised bomb shelters with placards headlined I Told You So!, Never Again! and Unused Nuclear Missiles at Heavy Discount! Security has had a lock-hold on the human psyche ever since Cain, the rogue son of Adam, lured his naïve brother Abel into the fields, killed him, and then told God that he was not his brother’s keeper. Defence companies rushed to Abel’s heirs. Insecurity began with creation. Oil is recent, and the net barely pubescent, but all three are dominant. The dimensions of their power make old terminology seem inadequate. Terms such as “super” and “power” require a rethink, for their supreme power has been virtually unshackled from the constraints of responsibility. In the old hierarchy, governments sat at the top, with the ability to regulate industry and steer inventions towards the public’s convenience. Governments themselves were accountable, obviously so in a democracy; but even dictators could not fly too far from the compulsions of good governance. The Roman dictator-emperors summed it up in a cynical formula: bread and circuses. The emperor who forgot to provide bread for the citizens soon lost his head. The private sector military-mineral-infotech industrial complex has positioned itself as indispensable. In a best-case scenario, it works in partnership with governments, minimising friction; but it sets the agenda, driven by the terms of global capitalisation and global markets. National space is of secondary importance. Using the sanctuary of tax havens or exploiting tax loopholes when they can, the private companies are able to multiply their own profits even when advanced economies teeter on the edge of recession. Governments have been reduced to enablers, in a bid to share the rewards. Indeed, the international standing and economic health of a nation can depend on the capacity of its companies to supply guns, gas or gossip to the world. “Super” is too weak a word. Think hyper. Power is passé. Think control. The defence industry makes very healthy money out of legitimate business; but its real wealth comes from purchases by ego-driven politicians and generals who justify bloated defence budgets by theories like “balance-of-power” and its multiple derivatives. The first influential theorist was Thucydides, the Greek historian of the Peloponnesian Wars. Over 25 centuries later, no one has improved upon the central justification of his argument: realism. His realism implied that the ability to fight a war was the only guarantee of peace, and if you thought that was a paradox you were sailing on a dreamboat towards the edge of a waterfall. The most successful ploy in advertising is the conversion of part of the truth into the whole truth. Defence is a genuine necessity, and always has been. The art of profiteering lies in the manipulation of threat perception, in which the defence boys brandishing bespoke brochures have developed great expertise, while their agents divert ad-spend to the bribery budget. The energy brainiacs have a better story to tell, for they have a better product to sell. Oil was a flicker in the wick lamp until it became the mainstay of a value-added industrial revolution and the fuel for new machines which altered the meaning of comfort and travel. This energy transformed lives dramatically. It also provided the death industry with a re-imagined range of armaments. It was the perfect double whammy. Inevitably, Europe’s colonial powers seized desert nations to take control of oil wells when they were discovered in the sands of Iran and Arabia in the late 19th century. America had enough oil of its own but got into the game because it was so cost-friendly. This colonial inequity was effectively challenged only in the 1970s when producer-nations under the OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) umbrella finally ended price-fixing by the buyers, and then survived the bruising propaganda onslaught which followed. Half-a-century later, oil producers have become what they always wanted to be: partners, not stenographers taking dictation. This is the basis for the rediscovered self-confidence of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia. They also took the sensible decision to ensure that their governments held majority control of their natural resources companies. Oil does not require much sales talk. We know the brand of our toothpaste, but who knows the name of the company that provides Norway’s oil or Qatar’s gas? Traditional firms like Burmah Shell and Esso advertised only when they went into direct retail. One was intrigued therefore to find that the hitherto silent, discreet and successful Saudi giant Aramco had taken billboard space during the last Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament in India and sponsored the T20 cricket championship in Australia. Something different was happening. The wealthiest oil company in the world had clearly been nominated flag-bearer of radical change in what had become a closed kingdom. Aramco is leading the reinvention of Saudi Arabia as a land of sport leadership, futuristic urban spaces, and Halloween fun. If Dubai can become a hub of cricket, why should Jeddah not host the Olympics? Ignore the weather. Jeddah could create an Iceland in a stadium if it wanted, and in winter this port city on the Red Sea can be salubrious in the mornings. It might need an early start for the marathon, though. The opium doctrine The vulnerable side of the behemoth triangle is the tech industry, which is ironic since it has contributed more to genuine radical growth than the other two sides combined. Within three decades, it has reached more homes across the globe than any other product in history. It will not be hobbled by such reach, and will continue to expand because of its miraculous utility, but it has already been wounded by a human flaw—the inability of owners to distinguish between profit and greed. Greed required distortion, which they could not resist. Lifted from college-dorm anonymity to multi-billionaire world fame within a decade, they became consumed by hubris. The masters of this social universe broke the first and last commandment of communication, credibility. The computer revolution began at the apex of virtue, as a final-frontier answer to the continuous quest for greater knowledge. It changed more aspects of behaviour, conscious and unconscious, than any previous invention. But a branch of the net, following insatiable appetites, became the monster that now threatens the maker. Even in the grapevine of gossip, there is good and bad; most chatter is nourishing. The problem is that the bad overwhelms the good. A remarkable platform for personal communication became a stage for mass hysteria under the cover of free speech. It does not matter where the hysteria came from, left or right; the diatribe was protected by the tribe. This was achieved through the connivance of the victim. The Opium Doctrine was in play, and like opium it was heady. In the middle of the 19th century, the absolute monarchs of the Qing-Manchu dynasty, in power from 1644, tried to stop the East India Company’s opium invasion of China by military force and law. Opium, with a little help from gunboat diplomacy, won. In the 1970s, the US launched a holy war against marijuana when Richard Nixon was in power. Marijuana, curated by mafia lords of Latin America, won. Once demonised as the drug that would destroy civilisation, it is now legal in half of America. Like opium, Facebook or Twitter did not need to advertise to expand. Their model was the ultimate marketing fantasy. Every consumer became its advertiser. Word of mouth made a handful of tech companies into a Club of Diamonds, who then set the rules to serve their interests. For Karl Marx, religion was the opium of the masses, and indeed the market-managers of traditional religions did make belligerent profits with their secret recipe for creation. The buccaneers of mass-tech, however, are more interested in their bank accounts than in any believer’s ledger log of sin and virtue. The Club of Diamonds, ever in search of escalating profits, turned part of the internet, once the potential church, mosque and temple of democratised knowledge, into the agora of sanctimonious slur. Their business had one great redeeming feature, though: humour. This, too, was a bestseller. Having captured their millions of users, the Control Club raised their ambitions. They decided that they could also determine the fate of elections through suppression of information; that they could arbitrate on the meaning of right and wrong; that they could censor opinion by subterfuge. They turned globalisation into a quasi-religion, decrying nationalism as a heresy with the zeal of an inquisition. Some very good minds, and many prominent leaders, did not quite realise that they had been gulled into questioning the nation-state itself by a cartel’s business model. A reaction was due. It may have begun. Is Elon Musk a dynamite stick with a lit fuse? Musk is a contrarian and an egoist, and a disruptor, but less maverick than he purports to be. He understands business, or Tesla would have never been larger than a garage. He will not explode in isolation, if he does explode at all. If the Club of Diamonds decides to cut his hair, Samson Musk will bring the pillars of a larger structure down with him. The only power to gain from Musk’s self-annihilation will be China, which has the Tesla car production facilities in its backyard and is ready to replace Twitter with TikTok after a tweak or two. TikTok is the sound of time. Twitter is a giggle. Time can wait. The towering conceit of this century is that the blood and gore of imperialism is being whittled into a genteel new construct where knowledge and new mores are spreading light, harmony and reform. The first decade of the last 30 years was consumed by Afghanistan and Iraq; the second by Syria; the third is being chewed to bits by Ukraine. There is an obvious question. Is Ukraine the last war of the old era or the first one of the new age? The causes, of course, lie in the past. President Putin may have seen the American sunset in Kabul and confused it with a Russian dawn. Perhaps he did not take into proper consideration the fact that America’s gut instincts are not aroused by revenge against zealot terrorists in strange robes but by a threat to its military and technological dominance. This means Russia and China. Moscow and Beijing cannot be locked away in Guantanamo. Ukraine is yet another splash of blood in the long war between Washington and Moscow. Russia may not be as strong as the Soviet Union, but it is still powerful enough to blow up the world. Is China a bystander? China takes pride in a lofty version of isolation. Its mandarins were unimpressed by thoughts of world conquest because in their view what the world had to offer was far inferior to what China already possessed. Their foreign policy was determined not by the rights of conquest but by the rights of superiority. Foreigners were either supplicants or barbarians who had to kowtow. When barbarians, whether Mongol or Manchu, did breach the walls and seize Beijing, they were required to surrender to Chinese language and civilisation. The Chinese cannot easily forgive those foreigners who did not submit: the Europeans and the Japanese. The experience of European and Japanese invasion and conquest remains traumatic. Mao Zedong was revered because he repositioned communism with Chinese characteristics, ignoring Lenin’s internationalism. Mao sent troops to Tibet to expand China’s suzerainty, and to North Korea to preserve a buffer zone against American aggression. Mao did not send troops to Vietnam. Mao’s successors have been cautious about getting involved in others’ wars. President Xi Jinping has struck a jarring note by upgrading his diplomats into wolf warriors, but he is most unlikely to throw caution aside. He will, in good Chinese fashion, wait, watch and pounce only when the opportunity becomes irresistible. China’s strategy is to become the dominant power of the next world order, not of this one. It can wait for the present order to fall in disarray. The question then becomes different. Will Ukraine begin the swerve to a new order? The Ukraine war will wind down. The price of sustaining it is too high on both sides. There will be a solution. People forget that a solution is liquid, not hard; from fluidity will emerge a compromise between the US and Russia which Kyiv will have to accept. In the middle of World War I, American President Woodrow Wilson proposed a peace without victory. There were no takers then, for Britain, France and Germany believed that total victory was possible. Ukraine is likely to end in a peace without categorical victory. There will be fallout on all sides, as major nations take stock of what they have learnt from this war. The most important repercussion is one that has not been discussed. Ukraine is a European crisis with Asian consequences. Russia and China have reached out to each other. When they consider the future once the missiles stop, could they bring Iran into an informal alliance on the principle of an enemy’s enemy being a friend? That is what a wartime bloc is about in any case. After all, the confrontation with America and its allies will not cease. It will simply seek different arenas. It is likely China will assume leadership of the Beijing-Moscow-Tehran troika. The three have acknowledged prowess in defence, energy, and technology. It is axiomatic that technology will be the heavy artillery of the next confrontation, with its wide range of insidious abilities to influence events and thinking. We cannot predict the specific geography of the next Ukraine. What we can say with some certainty is that the next battle will first be fought in the mind. This article first appeared in Open Magazine. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

The age of hypercontrol

Twitter has begun rolling out its paid subscription feature. And the results were predictable. Fake blue tick accounts have caused chaos and confusion. Molly Gambhir tells you more

Gravitas: Chaos in the Twitterverse

<p>Twitter has withdrawn the 'official' label just hours after it was rolled out, as the new boss of the social media giant, Elon Musk, said that he "killed" the feature that was visible on multiple Twitter handles of governments, politicians, officials and media houses across nations.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Musk also urged millions of users to note that Twitter will do lots of "dumb things" in the coming months. He said, "We will keep what works &amp; change what doesn't."</p>

<p>For a brief period, Twitter came up with&nbsp;a new grey "official" label for certain accounts as part of its&nbsp;massive revamp after Musk's buyout of the company.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Earlier,&nbsp;Esther Crawford, who is a Twitter products executive, said that the new tag would include "government accounts, commercial companies, business partners, major media outlets, publishers and some public figures".&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;WION Climate Tracker: Twitter takeover raises fear of surge in climate misinformation&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>Another change is expected to happen soon as Twitter is all set to launch the hotly debated subscription model in which the site's famed blue checkmark would be made available for a monthly fee of $7.99, though country-specific rates are likely to differ.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For the microblogging site, the blue tick has been a mark of an account’s authenticity and doubts emerged that public figures or media outlets would pay for it.</p>

<p>The official tag was also seen as a workaround to solve that problem, but now it has been withdrawn. There's no information on whether or not it will be available again.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When the label was rolled out on Wednesday, several accounts, including WION's handle, and also those of major media outlets such as&nbsp;the New York Times and BBC news were also given the 'official' marker.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Later when an Indian media house wrote an article asking if Musk has gone crazy after Twitter takeover, he promptly replied, "Nope, I was always nuts!" &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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Twitter has withdrawn the 'official' label just hours after it was rolled out, as the new boss of the social media giant, Elon Musk, said that he "killed" the feature that was visible on multiple Twitter handles of governments, politicians, officials and media houses across nations.

Twitter has withdrawn the 'official' label just hours after it was rolled out, as the new boss of the social media giant, Elon Musk, said that he "killed" the feature that was visible on multiple Twitter handles of governments, politicians, officials and media houses across nations. Musk also urged millions of users to note that Twitter will do lots of "dumb things" in the coming months. He said, "We will keep what works & change what doesn't." For a brief period, Twitter came up with a new grey "official" label for certain accounts as part of its massive revamp after Musk's buyout of the company. Earlier, Esther Crawford, who is a Twitter products executive, said that the new tag would include "government accounts, commercial companies, business partners, major media outlets, publishers and some public figures". WATCH | WION Climate Tracker: Twitter takeover raises fear of surge in climate misinformation × Another change is expected to happen soon as Twitter is all set to launch the hotly debated subscription model in which the site's famed blue checkmark would be made available for a monthly fee of $7.99, though country-specific rates are likely to differ. For the microblogging site, the blue tick has been a mark of an account’s authenticity and doubts emerged that public figures or media outlets would pay for it. The official tag was also seen as a workaround to solve that problem, but now it has been withdrawn. There's no information on whether or not it will be available again. When the label was rolled out on Wednesday, several accounts, including WION's handle, and also those of major media outlets such as the New York Times and BBC news were also given the 'official' marker. Later when an Indian media house wrote an article asking if Musk has gone crazy after Twitter takeover, he promptly replied, "Nope, I was always nuts!" WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Stunning U-turn: Maverick Musk says 'killed' Twitter's 'official' label, just hours after rollout and hype

It is not just tech giants like Meta and Twitter that are going for massive lay-offs, some big Wall Street banks are also cutting hundreds of jobs. Barclays has got about 200 across its banking and trading desks this week.

WION Business News | Wall Street lay-offs: Citigroup, Barclays cut hundreds of jobs

Tech giants like Twitter and Meta are laying off employees at an unprecedented rate. The question arises, are tech giants really as recession-proof as they claim to be, or are the current market trends going to get the best of them? Priyanka Sharma brings you the details

WION Fineprint | Tech giants on a firing spree

<p>Elon Musk, the owner of Twitter, informed his staff via email that remote work would no longer be permitted and that they should plan to spend at least 40 hours a week in the office.&nbsp;As per reports, Musk also informed staff members that he wants subscriptions to generate 50 per cent&nbsp;of Twitter's revenue.</p>

<p>Two new verification tools were introduced by Twitter on Wednesday, but one of them was "killed" a few hours later, marking a chaotic beginning to owner Elon Musk's effort to modernise the significant platform after his $44 billion acquisition.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The long-awaited Twitter Blue membership service, which charges users $7.99 a month for a coveted blue tick and a second grey "official" badge for some high-profile accounts, was unveiled by the social networking platform.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, the introduction of Twitter Blue, which is now only accessible on the mobile app on iPhones and in the United States, was overshadowed by the almost immediate cancellation of the new grey designation.</p>

<p>A week after firing thousands of employees, Musk made a U-turn that sparked criticism of his plans for Twitter and led to a sharp decline in spending from advertisers who were concerned about the site's trajectory.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cop27-a-fossil-fuel-industry-trade-show-sharp-rise-in-industry-delegates-shocks-many-532912">COP27, a 'fossil fuel industry trade show'? Sharp rise in industry delegates shocks many</a></p>

<p>There have been questions about whether public personalities or media outlets would pay for the blue tick, which has been used to indicate an account's validity. Observers perceived the official grey tag as a solution for that issue.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Wednesday marked the start of the new 'official' label's rollout, with accounts from businesses like Apple and BMW as well as public ones like the White House and prominent media outlets being the benificiaries.&nbsp;But it vanished just hours later.</p>

<p><em>(with inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Elon Musk, the owner of Twitter, informed his staff via email that remote work would no longer be permitted and that they should plan to spend at least 40 hours a week in the office.

Elon Musk, the owner of Twitter, informed his staff via email that remote work would no longer be permitted and that they should plan to spend at least 40 hours a week in the office. As per reports, Musk also informed staff members that he wants subscriptions to generate 50 per cent of Twitter's revenue. Two new verification tools were introduced by Twitter on Wednesday, but one of them was "killed" a few hours later, marking a chaotic beginning to owner Elon Musk's effort to modernise the significant platform after his $44 billion acquisition. The long-awaited Twitter Blue membership service, which charges users $7.99 a month for a coveted blue tick and a second grey "official" badge for some high-profile accounts, was unveiled by the social networking platform. However, the introduction of Twitter Blue, which is now only accessible on the mobile app on iPhones and in the United States, was overshadowed by the almost immediate cancellation of the new grey designation. A week after firing thousands of employees, Musk made a U-turn that sparked criticism of his plans for Twitter and led to a sharp decline in spending from advertisers who were concerned about the site's trajectory. Also Read: COP27, a 'fossil fuel industry trade show'? Sharp rise in industry delegates shocks many There have been questions about whether public personalities or media outlets would pay for the blue tick, which has been used to indicate an account's validity. Observers perceived the official grey tag as a solution for that issue. Wednesday marked the start of the new 'official' label's rollout, with accounts from businesses like Apple and BMW as well as public ones like the White House and prominent media outlets being the benificiaries. But it vanished just hours later. (with inputs from agencies)

Twitter CEO Elon Musk ends remote work for staff in his first email to employees

<p>US President Joe Biden on Wednesday said that Twitter's new owner Elon Musk's connections with other nations were "worthy" of being scrutinised.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to Reuters, Biden was asked if he believed that the "chief twit" posed a threat to US national security and whether the American government should look into his purchase of Twitter with the aid of a Saudi Arabian corporation.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Elon Musk sells Tesla shares worth nearly $4 bn after Twitter deal</strong></p>

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<p>"I think that Elon Musk's cooperation and or technical relationships with other countries is worthy of being looked at," he said.</p>

<p>Last month, the White House denied allegations that the country was considering starting a national security investigation into some of Musk's businesses, including Twitter.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/investors-dump-tesla-shares-as-musk-becomes-more-and-more-focused-on-twitter-his-net-worth-below-200bn-532381">Elon Musk's net worth falls below $200bn; Investors dump Tesla shares as he becomes ‘more focused on Twitter'</a></strong></p>

<p>The US President added that he is not insinuating that Musk is involved in "anything inappropriate".</p>

<p>"Whether he is doing anything inappropriate, I'm not suggesting that. I'm suggesting they're worth being looked at."</p>

<p>Musk's acquisition of Twitter as per the report has raised concerns that the tycoon's businesses, including electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla, may come under pressure from nations known for attempting to regulate internet speech.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musks-twitter-calls-back-some-of-the-fired-employees-says-they-got-laid-off-by-mistake-531720">Elon Musk's Twitter calls back some of the fired employees, says they got laid off 'by mistake'</a></strong></p>

<p>One example is China. About half of Tesla's global deliveries in 2017 came from its facility in Shanghai, China.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Musk has previously advocated giving Beijing some power over Taiwan in order to ease tensions between China and Taiwan. The suggestion at the time earned him a reprimand from Taiwan's de facto ambassador to Washington who said that his country's "freedom and democracy are not for sale."&nbsp;</p>

<p>The US has long supported Taipei amid the China-Taiwan tensions, with the US President Joe Biden announcing in September that US forces would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack. &nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


US President Joe Biden on Wednesday said that Twitter's new owner Elon Musk's connections with other nations were "worthy" of being scrutinised. According to Reuters, Biden was asked if he believed that the "chief twit" posed a threat to US national security and whether the American government should look into his purchase of Twitter with the aid of a Saudi Arabian corporation.

US President Joe Biden on Wednesday said that Twitter's new owner Elon Musk's connections with other nations were "worthy" of being scrutinised. According to Reuters, Biden was asked if he believed that the "chief twit" posed a threat to US national security and whether the American government should look into his purchase of Twitter with the aid of a Saudi Arabian corporation. Watch | Elon Musk sells Tesla shares worth nearly $4 bn after Twitter deal "I think that Elon Musk's cooperation and or technical relationships with other countries is worthy of being looked at," he said. Last month, the White House denied allegations that the country was considering starting a national security investigation into some of Musk's businesses, including Twitter. Also read | Elon Musk's net worth falls below $200bn; Investors dump Tesla shares as he becomes ‘more focused on Twitter' The US President added that he is not insinuating that Musk is involved in "anything inappropriate". "Whether he is doing anything inappropriate, I'm not suggesting that. I'm suggesting they're worth being looked at." Musk's acquisition of Twitter as per the report has raised concerns that the tycoon's businesses, including electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla, may come under pressure from nations known for attempting to regulate internet speech. Also read | Elon Musk's Twitter calls back some of the fired employees, says they got laid off 'by mistake' One example is China. About half of Tesla's global deliveries in 2017 came from its facility in Shanghai, China. Musk has previously advocated giving Beijing some power over Taiwan in order to ease tensions between China and Taiwan. The suggestion at the time earned him a reprimand from Taiwan's de facto ambassador to Washington who said that his country's "freedom and democracy are not for sale." The US has long supported Taipei amid the China-Taiwan tensions, with the US President Joe Biden announcing in September that US forces would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US President Biden says Twitter owner Musk's relationship with other countries 'worthy of being looked at'

Is Twitter all set to become an 'everything app'? Will it enter the payments markets? Take a glimpse into Twitter's future roadmap here.

Twitter to become an 'everything app'? Twitter entering the payments markets?

<p>Meta, more colloquially known as Facebook is gearing up to fire employees, according to a Wall Street Journal report. After Twitter, Meta becomes another big tech company to slash the workforce in recent weeks. In other news,&nbsp;strong tremors shook New Delhi&nbsp;and adjoining areas early Wednesday morning after a 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Click on headlines to read more:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/meta-boss-mark-zuckerberg-says-mass-lay-offs-to-begin-from-wednesday-morning-532418"><strong>Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg says mass layoffs to begin from Wednesday morning</strong></a></p>

<p>Mark Zuckerberg-owned Meta will be laying off employees on Wednesday morning, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported. The announcement was made by the CEO on Tuesday morning while addressing hundreds of executives at the company headquarters, foreshadowing large cuts.</p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2022/11/09/309459-meta.jpeg" /></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-users-may-soon-have-to-pay-more-than-just-8-as-musk-deliberates-putting-platform-behind-paywall-532351"><strong>Twitter users may soon have to pay more than just $8 as Musk deliberates putting platform behind paywall</strong></a></p>

<p>Just days after taking over Twitter as the "Chief Twit" Elon Musk has been openly pondering on how to bring in money. The company has already made certain moves, like laying off half of its global workforce and starting to charge $8 per month for the once-free blue tick verification.</p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2022/11/09/309418-new-wion-34.png" /></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/63-magnitude-quake-hits-nepal-in-wee-hours-of-wednesday-strong-tremors-felt-in-india-532404"><strong>6.3 magnitude quake hits Nepal in wee hours of Wednesday, 6 reported dead, strong tremors felt in India</strong></a></p>

<p>Strong tremors shook New Delhi and adjoining areas early Wednesday morning after a 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal. At around 2 am, people were forced to wake up from their sleep and rushed outside as the intensity of the tremors was extremely strong.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2022/11/09/309456-untitled-design-2022-11-09t074215679.png" /></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/a-record-204bn-powerball-jackpot-has-been-won-by-someone-in-south-california-532422"><strong>A record $2.04bn Powerball jackpot has been won by someone in South California</strong></a></p>

<p>An unknown person in Southern California has won a record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot. No one had hit the top prize for over three months which kept increasing its value. After an overnight delay in the drawing, the winning numbers were finally selected Tuesday morning.</p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2022/11/09/309461-untitled-design-2022-11-09t085817901.png" /></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-jaishankar-sets-the-record-straight-in-moscow-532372"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas: Jaishankar sets the record straight in Moscow</strong></a></p>

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Meta, more colloquially known as Facebook is gearing up to fire employees, according to a Wall Street Journal report. After Twitter, Meta becomes another big tech company to slash the workforce in recent weeks.

Meta, more colloquially known as Facebook is gearing up to fire employees, according to a Wall Street Journal report. After Twitter, Meta becomes another big tech company to slash the workforce in recent weeks. In other news, strong tremors shook New Delhi and adjoining areas early Wednesday morning after a 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal. Click on headlines to read more: Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg says mass layoffs to begin from Wednesday morning Mark Zuckerberg-owned Meta will be laying off employees on Wednesday morning, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported. The announcement was made by the CEO on Tuesday morning while addressing hundreds of executives at the company headquarters, foreshadowing large cuts. Twitter users may soon have to pay more than just $8 as Musk deliberates putting platform behind paywall Just days after taking over Twitter as the "Chief Twit" Elon Musk has been openly pondering on how to bring in money. The company has already made certain moves, like laying off half of its global workforce and starting to charge $8 per month for the once-free blue tick verification. 6.3 magnitude quake hits Nepal in wee hours of Wednesday, 6 reported dead, strong tremors felt in India Strong tremors shook New Delhi and adjoining areas early Wednesday morning after a 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal. At around 2 am, people were forced to wake up from their sleep and rushed outside as the intensity of the tremors was extremely strong. A record $2.04bn Powerball jackpot has been won by someone in South California An unknown person in Southern California has won a record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot. No one had hit the top prize for over three months which kept increasing its value. After an overnight delay in the drawing, the winning numbers were finally selected Tuesday morning. WATCH | Gravitas: Jaishankar sets the record straight in Moscow ×

Morning news brief: Meta to lay off employees, earthquake rocks Nepal, parts of India and more

Ever since the takeover, the Tesla billionaire and self-declared free speech champion Elon Musk has fired thousands of Twitter employees including some sustainability executives. Naturally, this has raised fears of a surge in climate misinformation on Twitter.

WION Climate Tracker: Twitter takeover raises fear of surge in climate misinformation

<p>Twitter on Wednesday labeled Indian media, key Indian government handles as "official". The labeling began ahead of the rollout of blue tick payment subscriptions across the world, including in India.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>What is the significance of the 'official' label?</strong></p>

<p>According to Twitter's early-stage products executive Esther Crawford, in order for the users to distinguish between 'Twitter Blue' subscribers with blue checkmarks and blue check-marked accounts associated with government and other credible sources of information, the 'Official' label is being introduced.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/musk-to-introduce-official-label-for-some-verified-twitter-accounts-532566">Musk to introduce 'Official' label for some verified Twitter accounts</a></strong></p>

<p>"Not all previously verified accounts will get the “Official” label and the label is not available for purchase. Accounts that will receive it include government accounts, commercial companies, business partners, major media outlets, publishers, and some public figures," Crawford said.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Not all previously verified accounts will get the “Official” label and the label is not available for purchase. Accounts that will receive it include government accounts, commercial companies, business partners, major media outlets, publishers and some public figures.</p>
— Esther Crawford ✨ (@esthercrawford) <a href="https://twitter.com/esthercrawford/status/1590109380338647040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Twitter accounts of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had 'official' label. The Twitter accounts of leaders of Opposition parties, such as Rahul Gandhi of the Indian National Congress and Mamata Banerjee of All Indian Trinamool Congress also have 'official' labels.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-fineprint-twitter-re-hiring-people-it-just-fired-531969">WION Fineprint | Twitter re-hiring people it just fired</a></strong></p>

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<p>The Twitter accounts of all major Indian news outlets, including WION, now get displayed with an 'official' label.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Twitter executive Esther Crawford said that the Elon Musk-owned microblogging platform will continue to experiment with ways to differentiate between account types.&nbsp;</p>

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Twitter on Wednesday labeled Indian media, key Indian government handles as "official". The labeling began ahead of the rollout of blue tick payment subscriptions across the world, including in India.

Twitter on Wednesday labeled Indian media, key Indian government handles as "official". The labeling began ahead of the rollout of blue tick payment subscriptions across the world, including in India. What is the significance of the 'official' label? According to Twitter's early-stage products executive Esther Crawford, in order for the users to distinguish between 'Twitter Blue' subscribers with blue checkmarks and blue check-marked accounts associated with government and other credible sources of information, the 'Official' label is being introduced. ALSO READ | Musk to introduce 'Official' label for some verified Twitter accounts "Not all previously verified accounts will get the “Official” label and the label is not available for purchase. Accounts that will receive it include government accounts, commercial companies, business partners, major media outlets, publishers, and some public figures," Crawford said. Not all previously verified accounts will get the “Official” label and the label is not available for purchase. Accounts that will receive it include government accounts, commercial companies, business partners, major media outlets, publishers and some public figures. — Esther Crawford ✨ (@esthercrawford) November 8, 2022 × The Twitter accounts of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had 'official' label. The Twitter accounts of leaders of Opposition parties, such as Rahul Gandhi of the Indian National Congress and Mamata Banerjee of All Indian Trinamool Congress also have 'official' labels. WATCH | WION Fineprint | Twitter re-hiring people it just fired × The Twitter accounts of all major Indian news outlets, including WION, now get displayed with an 'official' label. Twitter executive Esther Crawford said that the Elon Musk-owned microblogging platform will continue to experiment with ways to differentiate between account types. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Twitter begins using 'official' label for accounts associated with Indian government, media outlets

Let us take a look at stories generating interest across WION's social media channels.

Trending on WION | Shakira gets custody of children; Elon Musk sells Twitter shares worth $4 billion

After buying the microblogging site, Twitter, in a $44 billion deal, billionaire Elon Musk has sold additional shares of his company Tesla. According to the Securities and Exchange Commission in the United States, Musk sold 19.5 million shares of Tesla worth 4 billion dollars after taking over Twitter.

Elon Musk sells Tesla shares worth nearly $4 bn after Twitter deal

<p>According to Twitter's early-stage products executive Esther Crawford on Tuesday, the social media site will add an "Official" label for a small group of verified accounts, such as major media organisations and governments, when it debuts its new $8 premium subscription plan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Crawford further affirmed that users' identities will not be verified by the updated Twitter Blue subscription service, which will allow paid users to display blue checkmarks on their accounts.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There may be worries regarding the possibility of impersonating public personalities due to the lack of ID verification.</p>

<p>According to Yoel Roth, Twitter's head of safety and integrity, these worries have already led Twitter to delay the release of the new version of Twitter Blue until after Tuesday's midterm elections in the United States.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to sources with knowledge of the situation and studies, fake accounts for government leaders are a persistent problem for Twitter worldwide.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to Crawford, not all Twitter accounts that have previously been verified with a blue check mark will receive the "Official" label, and the label cannot be purchased.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Governments, businesses, business partners, significant media outlets, publishers, and certain other public figures are among the accounts that will acquire the official label, she tweeted.</p>

<p>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vaping-age-in-the-us-decreasing-intensity-of-use-shooting-up-new-study-says-532537">Vaping age in the US decreasing, intensity of use shooting up, new study says</a></p>

<p>According to Jason Goldman, a former member of the Twitter board and former head of product in the company's early years, the addition of a new label with the current check marks "creates a confusing system" where some, but not all, previously verified accounts will be regarded as authentic.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It's a complete mess," he said.</p>

<p>The official designation was created following an internal campaign by Twitter policy executives who had serious reservations about the likelihood and reluctance of international governments to pay for verified check marks, according to a source with knowledge of the situation who spoke to Reuters.</p>

<p><em>(with inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1  width=&quot;100%&quot;"></iframe></p>


According to Twitter's early-stage products executive Esther Crawford on Tuesday, the social media site will add an "Official" label for a small group of verified accounts, such as major media organisations and governments, when it debuts its new $8 premium subscription plan.

According to Twitter's early-stage products executive Esther Crawford on Tuesday, the social media site will add an "Official" label for a small group of verified accounts, such as major media organisations and governments, when it debuts its new $8 premium subscription plan. Crawford further affirmed that users' identities will not be verified by the updated Twitter Blue subscription service, which will allow paid users to display blue checkmarks on their accounts. There may be worries regarding the possibility of impersonating public personalities due to the lack of ID verification. According to Yoel Roth, Twitter's head of safety and integrity, these worries have already led Twitter to delay the release of the new version of Twitter Blue until after Tuesday's midterm elections in the United States. According to sources with knowledge of the situation and studies, fake accounts for government leaders are a persistent problem for Twitter worldwide. According to Crawford, not all Twitter accounts that have previously been verified with a blue check mark will receive the "Official" label, and the label cannot be purchased. Governments, businesses, business partners, significant media outlets, publishers, and certain other public figures are among the accounts that will acquire the official label, she tweeted. Also Read: Vaping age in the US decreasing, intensity of use shooting up, new study says According to Jason Goldman, a former member of the Twitter board and former head of product in the company's early years, the addition of a new label with the current check marks "creates a confusing system" where some, but not all, previously verified accounts will be regarded as authentic. "It's a complete mess," he said. The official designation was created following an internal campaign by Twitter policy executives who had serious reservations about the likelihood and reluctance of international governments to pay for verified check marks, according to a source with knowledge of the situation who spoke to Reuters. (with inputs from agencies)

Musk to introduce 'Official' label for some verified Twitter accounts

Trending on WION: Twitter calls back some employees it fired, says they got laid off 'by mistake'

Auto firm Stellantis said, it is pausing all paid advertising posts on Twitter as it waits to see what the platform will look like under the leadership of Elon Musk.

Auto firm Stellantis joins others, pause paid ads on Twitter

<p>Hours after appealing American voters to vote 'Republican Congress' in midterm elections due today (Tuesday), Twitter boss Elon Musk has released a clarification.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"To be clear, my historical party affiliation has been Independent, with an actual voting history of entirely Democrat until this year," tweeted Musk before adding, "And I’m open to the idea of voting Democrat again in the future."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">To be clear, my historical party affiliation has been Independent, with an actual voting history of entirely Democrat until this year</p>
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1589722050998210561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>Musk was attempting to counterbalance after his earlier statement about preferring Republicans in the polls created a furore.</p>

<p>As reported by WION, the tweet by the billionaire, addressed to 'independent-minded voters' fell just short of an explicit endorsement&nbsp;to the Republican Party.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"To independent-minded voters: Shared power curbs the worst excesses of both parties, therefore I recommend voting for a Republican Congress, given that the Presidency is Democratic," said Musk in his tweet.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">To independent-minded voters:<br />
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Shared power curbs the worst excesses of both parties, therefore I recommend voting for a Republican Congress, given that the Presidency is Democratic.</p>
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1589639376186724354?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-boss-elon-musk-asks-us-voters-to-vote-for-republican-congress-531962"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;US midterms: Twitter boss Elon Musk asks Americans to vote for 'Republican Congress'</strong></a></p>

<p>Musk shortly followed up the tweet above with another one attempting to explain his logic and stressing that he was speaking to 'independent voters'.</p>

<p>"Hardcore Democrats or Republicans never vote for the other side, so independent voters are the ones who actually decide who’s in charge!" he said in the follow-up tweet.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-midterm-elections-the-final-countdown-begins-532064"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;US Midterm Elections: The final countdown begins</strong></a></p>

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<p>The US midterm election is crucial for both parties. With the opinion polls suggesting that Republicans hold the edge over Democrats in both Senate and House, an explicit endorsement from Musk can further change the tide.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The liberal faction of Twitter, which has been up in arms ever since Musk took over Twitter has been accusing the billionaire of turning the microblogging platform into his propaganda machine.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
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Hours after appealing American voters to vote 'Republican Congress' in midterm elections due today (Tuesday), Twitter boss Elon Musk has released a clarification.

Hours after appealing American voters to vote 'Republican Congress' in midterm elections due today (Tuesday), Twitter boss Elon Musk has released a clarification. "To be clear, my historical party affiliation has been Independent, with an actual voting history of entirely Democrat until this year," tweeted Musk before adding, "And I’m open to the idea of voting Democrat again in the future." To be clear, my historical party affiliation has been Independent, with an actual voting history of entirely Democrat until this year — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 7, 2022 × Musk was attempting to counterbalance after his earlier statement about preferring Republicans in the polls created a furore. As reported by WION, the tweet by the billionaire, addressed to 'independent-minded voters' fell just short of an explicit endorsement to the Republican Party. "To independent-minded voters: Shared power curbs the worst excesses of both parties, therefore I recommend voting for a Republican Congress, given that the Presidency is Democratic," said Musk in his tweet. To independent-minded voters: Shared power curbs the worst excesses of both parties, therefore I recommend voting for a Republican Congress, given that the Presidency is Democratic. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 7, 2022 × Read more: US midterms: Twitter boss Elon Musk asks Americans to vote for 'Republican Congress' Musk shortly followed up the tweet above with another one attempting to explain his logic and stressing that he was speaking to 'independent voters'. "Hardcore Democrats or Republicans never vote for the other side, so independent voters are the ones who actually decide who’s in charge!" he said in the follow-up tweet. WATCH | US Midterm Elections: The final countdown begins × The US midterm election is crucial for both parties. With the opinion polls suggesting that Republicans hold the edge over Democrats in both Senate and House, an explicit endorsement from Musk can further change the tide. The liberal faction of Twitter, which has been up in arms ever since Musk took over Twitter has been accusing the billionaire of turning the microblogging platform into his propaganda machine. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Hours after appealing to vote 'Republican' in midterm, Elon Musk releases a clarification

Why did Elon Musk cut Twitter's workforce by almost half? Reports say Musk needs to pay almost $1 billion to banks as interest - to service the debt he took on to purchase the platform.

Gravitas: Twitter in a debt trap after Musk takeover?

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